This is a lesson about the nature of a scientific question. Learners will construct a valid scientific question that can be answered by data and/or modeling and choose an appropriate mission for their rover that will answer their scientific... (View More) question. The lesson uses the 5E instructional model and includes: TEKS Details (Texas Standards alignment), Essential Question, Science Notebook, Vocabulary Definitions for Students, Vocabulary Definitions for Teachers, four Vocabulary Cards, and supplements on writing a scientific question and possible Mission Choices. This is lesson 5 as part of the Mars Rover Celebration Unit, a six week long curriculum. (View Less)

This is a lesson about scientific and enginering investigation. Learners will review what they have learned, construct a valid scientific question that can be answered by data and/or modeling, and choose an appropriate mission for their rover that... (View More) will answer their scientific question. The lesson uses the 5E instructional model and includes : TEKS Details (Texas Standards alignment), Essential Question, Science Notebook, Vocabulary Definitions for Students, Vocabulary Definitions for Teachers, four Vocabulary Cards, and supplements on Writing a Scientific Question and Mission Choices. This is lesson 5 as part of the Mars Rover Celebration Unit, a six week long curriculum. (View Less)

This is a lesson about using light to identify the composition of an object. Learners will use a spectrograph to gather data about light sources. Using the data they’ve collected, students are able to make comparisons between different light... (View More) sources and make conjectures about the composition of a mystery light source. The activity is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering program for middle-high school students, focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System. (View Less)

This is a lesson about emission spectra. Learners will look at various light sources (including glow sticks and christmas lights) and make conjectures about their composition. The activity is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering... (View More) program for middle-high school students, focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System. (View Less)

This is a unit of 8 sessions about the Sun-Earth system. Learners will construct a model to show the relative size and scale of the Sun-Earth system, investigate the visible and electromagnetic spectrums, discuss solar flares and solar weather,... (View More) develop a UV shield, and discuss the results of their investigations. The unit is set in the context of solving a mystery and supports the idea that scientific explanations are based on evidence. This is Unit 1 of the GEMS Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8, which is available for purchase (see related link). (View Less)

This is a lesson about the variety of careers in space exploration. Learners will examine the want ads and discuss the types of jobs advertised, brainstorm ideas for careers of the future, and then write want-ads for a future paper. This is lesson... (View More) 16 of 16 in the MarsBots learning module. (View Less)

Learners will compare satellite images of Mars and Earth to look for similar features. Then they brainstorm a list of forces or events that could have caused some of these features to form on Mars. This is activity 3 of 9 in Mars and Earth: Science... (View More) Learning Activities for After School. (View Less)

This is an activity about image analysis. Learners will create a map of the room and discuss the perspectives shown in their drawings and how this relates to satelite images. Participants brainstorm a list of features that might be recognizable in... (View More) satellite photos, search the Earth Images for these features, and place the images in categories depicting these features. This is activity 2 of 9 in Mars and Earth: Science Learning Activities for After School. (View Less)

This is an activity about modeling and the scientific process. Learners will discuss the models they created in the previous three activities as models of forces that shape the surface of planets, and talk about the similarities and differences... (View More) between models and real events. Then they brainstorm a list of questions and suggest ways scientists might find answers. This is activity 7 of 9 in Mars and Earth: Science Learning Activities for After School. (View Less)